Methods and apparatus for monitoring voice quality on a wireless communication device

• US 7,843,991 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cassett, Tia Manning, Yip, Eric Chi Chung, Fok, Kenny
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Ted M
• Application Number:
  US11/405,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 375/224, 375/219, 375/316, 370/241
• US Class Current: 375/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2236 Quality of speech transmission monitoring

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing monitoring of voice quality and diagnostic data related to voice quality on a wireless device. Monitoring thresholds can be implemented that allow for additional precautionary measures and/or further monitoring to occur if a threshold level of voice quality performance is experienced. The results of the voice and diagnostic monitoring can be communicated to the service provider who can then collect, analyze and generate reports to assess and determine quality-related problems experienced by the communication network.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring voice quality performance on a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

monitoring, at a wireless communication device, voice data and diagnostic data;

determining, at the wireless communication device, a voice quality score based upon the voice data; and

communicating the diagnostic data and at least one of the voice quality score and the voice data to a network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring voice data further comprises logging voice data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring diagnostic data further comprises logging at least one of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data or network device data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further comprises executing a voice quality algorithm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein executing a voice quality algorithm further comprises executing a voice quality algorithm chosen from the group consisting of Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Single Sided Speech Quality Measure (3SQM), E Model, Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating further comprises communicating the diagnostic data, the voice data and the voice quality score to the network device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the voice quality score to one or more voice quality score thresholds.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein communicating further comprises communicating if the voice quality score meets one or more of the one more voice-quality score thresholds.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring, at the wireless communication device, additional diagnostic data, if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional wireless communication device-related data chosen from the group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the voice data and diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring, at the wireless communication device, additional diagnostic data, if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional diagnostic data chosen from group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising communicating an alert message to the network device, if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein each voice quality score threshold comprises a threshold value and a threshold condition.

21. The method of claim 7, further comprising logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data upon an occurrence of an event, and wherein the logging occurs upon occurrence of an additional event if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

22. The method of claim 7, further comprising logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

23. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a network-wide threshold implemented for all wireless devices.

24. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a device-specific threshold.

25. The method of claim 7, further comprising increasing a rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the voice quality score meets at least one of the one or more voice-quality score thresholds, and returning to a prior rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data after a first time period or after an acceptable voice quality score is attained or after the acceptable voice quality score is maintained for a second time period.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data in the storage unit upon an occurrence of an event or during a time range.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data having a correlation with a cause of a change in the voice quality score.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a voice quality monitoring configuration, wherein the voice quality monitoring configuration comprises a configurable voice-quality parameter and a configurable voice-quality threshold, and wherein the monitoring is based on the voice quality monitoring configuration.

29. A computer-readable medium for measuring voice quality on a wireless communication device, comprising at least one sequence of instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring, at a wireless communication device, voice data and diagnostic data;

determining, at the wireless communication device, a voice quality score based upon the voice data; and

communicating the voice quality score and diagnostic data to a network device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein monitoring voice data further comprises logging voice data.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein monitoring diagnostic data further comprises logging at least one of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data or network device data.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein determining further comprises executing a voice quality algorithm.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein executing a voice quality algorithm further comprises executing a voice quality algorithm chosen from the group consisting of Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Single Sided Speech Quality Measure (3SQM), E Model, Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM).

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein communicating further comprises communicating the diagnostic data, the voice data and the voice quality score to the network device.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform comparing the voice quality score to one or more voice quality score thresholds.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein communicating further comprises communicating if the voice quality score meets one or more of the one more voice-quality score thresholds.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform monitoring additional diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional wireless communication device-related data chosen from the group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, further comprising communicating the voice data and diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform monitoring additional diagnostic data if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional diagnostic data chosen from group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform communicating an alert message to the network device if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein each voice quality score threshold comprises a threshold value and a threshold condition.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data upon an occurrence of an event, and wherein the logging occurs upon occurrence of an additional event if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform logging of at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a network-wide threshold implemented for all wireless devices.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a device-specific threshold.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform increasing a rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the voice quality score meets at least one of the one or more voice-quality score thresholds, and returning to a prior rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data after a first time period or after an acceptable voice quality score is attained or after the acceptable voice quality score is maintained for a second time period.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data in the storage unit upon an occurrence of an event or during a time range.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data having a correlation with a cause of a change in the voice quality score.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to further perform receiving a voice quality monitoring configuration, wherein the voice quality monitoring configuration comprises a configurable voice-quality parameter and a configurable voice-quality threshold, and wherein the monitoring is based on the voice quality monitoring configuration.

57. At least one processor device, implemented a wireless communication device, configured to perform the operations of:

monitoring voice data and diagnostic data;

determining a voice quality score based upon the voice data; and

communicating the voice quality score and diagnostic data to a network device.

58. The at least one processor of claim 57, wherein monitoring voice data further comprises logging voice data.

59. The at least one processor of claim 57, wherein monitoring diagnostic data further comprises logging at least one of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data or network device data.

60. The at least one processor of claim 57, wherein determining further comprises executing a voice quality algorithm.

61. The at least one processor of claim 60, wherein the voice quality algorithm further comprises a voice quality algorithm chosen from the group consisting of Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Single Sided Speech Quality Measure (3SQM), E Model, Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM).

62. The at least one processor of claim 57, wherein communicating further comprises communicating the diagnostic data, the voice data and the voice quality score to the network device.

63. The at least one processor of claim 57, further comprising comparing the voice quality score to one or more voice quality score thresholds.

64. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein communicating further comprises communicating if the voice quality score meets one or more of the one more voice-quality score thresholds.

65. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

66. The at least one processor of claim 65, further comprising communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

67. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising monitoring additional diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

68. The at least one processor of claim 67, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional wireless communication device-related data chosen from the group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

69. The at least one processor of claim 67, further comprising communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

70. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring at a first interval and further comprising monitoring at a second interval if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

71. The at least one processor of claim 70, further comprising communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

72. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising monitoring additional diagnostic data if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times.

73. The at least one processor of claim 72, wherein monitoring additional diagnostic data further comprises monitoring one or more additional diagnostic data chosen from group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

74. The at least one processor of claim 72, further comprising communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

75. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising communicating an alert message to the network device if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

76. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein each voice quality score threshold comprises a threshold value and a threshold condition.

77. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data upon an occurrence of an event, and wherein the logging occurs upon occurrence of an additional event if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

78. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising logging of at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

79. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a network-wide threshold implemented for all wireless devices.

80. The at least one processor of claim 63, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a device-specific threshold.

81. The at least one processor of claim 63, further comprising increasing a rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the voice quality score meets at least one of the one or more voice-quality score thresholds, and returning to a prior rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data after a first time period or after an acceptable voice quality score is attained or after the acceptable voice quality score is maintained for a second time period.

82. The at least one processor of claim 57, further comprising logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data upon an occurrence of an event or during a time range.

83. The at least one processor of claim 57, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data having a correlation with a cause of a change in the voice quality score.

84. The at least one processor of claim 57, further comprising receiving a voice quality monitoring configuration, wherein the voice quality monitoring configuration comprises a configurable voice-quality parameter and a configurable voice-quality threshold, and wherein the monitoring is based on the voice quality monitoring configuration.

85. A wireless communication device for monitoring voice quality, the device comprising:

a storage unit operable for storing voice data and diagnostic data; and

a voice-monitoring module in communication with the storage unit, the voice-monitoring module operable for determining a voice quality score based upon the voice data and operable for communicating the diagnostic data and at least one of the voice quality score and the voice data to a network device.

86. The wireless communication device of claim 85, further comprising a vocoder in communication with the storage unit and operable for generating the voice data.

87. The wireless communication device of claim 86, wherein the voice data and the diagnostic data are stored at an interval.

88. The wireless communication device of claim 85, further comprising at least one device selected from the group consisting of a position sensing device, a power sensing device, a hardware monitoring device and an application monitoring device, wherein the device is in communication with the storage unit and operable for generating diagnostic data.

89. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the voice-monitoring module further comprises a voice quality algorithm that is executed to determine the voice quality score.

90. The wireless communication device of claim 89, wherein the voice quality algorithm is chosen from the group consisting of Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Single Sided Speech Quality Measure (3SQM), E Model, Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM).

91. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for communicating the diagnostic data, the voice quality score and the voice data to the network device.

92. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for comparing the voice quality score to one or more voice quality score thresholds.

93. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for communicating the voice quality score and the diagnostic data to the network device if the voice quality score meets one or more of the one more voice-quality score thresholds.

94. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for increasing a rate of voice quality score determination, if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

95. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for monitoring additional diagnostic data, if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

96. The wireless communication device of claim 95, wherein the additional diagnostic data further comprises data chosen from the chosen from the group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

97. The wireless communication device of claim 95, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

98. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for communicating an alert message to the network device, if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

99. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data in the storage unit upon an occurrence of an event or during a time range.

100. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data having a correlation with a cause of a change in the voice quality score.

101. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein each voice quality score threshold comprises a threshold value and a threshold condition.

102. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is triggered to log at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data in the storage unit if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

103. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data in the storage unit upon an occurrence of an event, and wherein the logging occurs upon occurrence of an additional event if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

104. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a network-wide threshold implemented for all wireless devices.

105. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a device-specific threshold.

106. The wireless communication device of claim 92, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for increasing a rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the voice quality score meets at least one of the one or more voice-quality score thresholds, and for returning to a prior rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data after a first time period or after an acceptable voice quality score is attained or after the acceptable voice quality score is maintained for a second time period.

107. The wireless communication device of claim 85, wherein the voice-monitoring module is further operable for receiving a voice quality monitoring configuration, wherein the voice quality monitoring configuration comprises a configurable voice-quality parameter and a configurable voice-quality threshold, wherein the voice-monitoring module monitors the voice data and the diagnostic data based on the voice quality monitoring configuration.

108. A wireless communication device, comprising:

means for monitoring voice data and diagnostic data;

means for determining a voice quality score based upon the voice data; and

means for communicating the voice quality score and the diagnostic data to a network device.

109. The wireless communication device of claim 108, wherein the means for monitoring the voice data further comprises means for logging the voice data.

110. The wireless communication device of claim 108, wherein the means for monitoring the diagnostic data further comprises means for logging at least one of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data or network device data.

111. The wireless communication device of claim 108, wherein the means for determining further comprises means for executing a voice quality algorithm.

112. The wireless communication device of claim 111, wherein the voice quality algorithm is chosen from the group consisting of Mean Opinion Score (MOS), Single Sided Speech Quality Measure (3SQM), E Model, Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Perceptual Speech Quality Measure (PSQM).

113. The wireless communication device of claim 108, wherein the means for communicating further comprises means for communicating the diagnostic data, the voice data and the voice quality score to the network device.

114. The wireless communication device of claim 108, further comprising means for comparing the voice quality score to one or more voice quality score thresholds.

115. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein the means for communicating further comprises means for communicating if the voice quality score meets one or more of the one more voice-quality score thresholds.

116. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for monitoring at a first interval, and further comprising means for monitoring at a second interval if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

117. The wireless communication device of claim 116, further comprising means for communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

118. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for monitoring additional diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

119. The wireless communication device of claim 118, wherein the additional diagnostic data further comprises one or more additional wireless communication device-related data chosen from the group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

120. The wireless communication device of claim 118, further comprising means for communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

121. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for monitoring at a first interval and further comprising means for monitoring at a second interval if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

122. The wireless communication device of claim 121, further comprising means for communicating the voice data and the diagnostic data that are monitored at the second interval to the network device.

123. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for monitoring additional diagnostic data if a plurality of comparisons results in the voice quality score meeting one of the voice quality score thresholds a number of times.

124. The wireless communication device of claim 123, wherein the additional diagnostic data further comprises one or more additional diagnostic data chosen from group consisting of position data, power data, hardware-related data from a state manager, application-related data and network device data.

125. The wireless communication device of claim 123, further comprising means for communicating the additional diagnostic data to the network device.

126. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for communicating an alert message to the network device if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

127. The wireless communication device of claim 108, further comprising means for logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data upon an occurrence of an event or during a time range.

128. The wireless communication device of claim 108, wherein the diagnostic data comprises data having a correlation with a cause of a change in the voice quality score.

129. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein each voice quality score threshold comprises a threshold value and a threshold condition.

130. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for logging at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic upon an occurrence of an event, and wherein the logging occurs upon occurrence of an additional event if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

131. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for logging of at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the comparison determines that the voice quality score meets one of the voice quality score thresholds.

132. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a network-wide threshold implemented for all wireless devices.

133. The wireless communication device of claim 114, wherein at least one voice quality score threshold comprises a device-specific threshold.

134. The wireless communication device of claim 114, further comprising means for increasing a rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data if the voice quality score meets at least one of the one or more voice-quality score thresholds, and means for returning to a prior rate of monitoring or storing at least one of the voice data or the diagnostic data after a first time period or after an acceptable voice quality score is attained or after the acceptable voice quality score is maintained for a second time period.

135. The wireless communication device of claim 108, further comprising means for receiving a voice quality monitoring configuration, wherein the voice quality monitoring configuration comprises a configurable voice-quality parameter and a configurable voice-quality threshold, and wherein the means for monitoring operates based on the voice quality monitoring configuration.